Ornamental article and method of forming the same



Nov. 23 192s. 1,608,363

C. BOSCA ORNAMENTAL ARTICLE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed April 2, 1926 I I I I I I I I I I II-I COLOMBO 50804 Feterned Nov. 23, 1926.

entree stares senor/ nc BOSCA, or WEBB crr z, MISSOURI, assrenon noscaaannson-eai'on ooivr PANY, or WEBB orrY, raissenaz, n arissounrl onNaMENrAL ARTICLE Ann IVIE'IEOD' or mailer-a r. rain saivrn.

Application filed April 2, 1928. Serial 1%. ease This invention relates to an ornamental article and method of forming the same.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel method of forming book 5 covers or the like from two or more layers of leather or other pliable material.

A further object is to provide a method of forming book covers or the like. of two or more'layers of pliable material such as it) leather wherein the outer layer is ornamentedby embossing or the like and wherein the inner layer or layers form backing for the outer layer.

A further object is to provide a book cover 1 or the like which is extremely durable and yet possesses a considerable degree of pliability.

A further object is to provide more particularly a leather or similar cover for loose leaf books formed of a plurality of layers of leather, the outer layer of which is ornamented by embossing or the like and is cemented or otherwise secured to the inner lay-er or layers which form backing sheets.

Other objects and advantages of the in ven-tion will become apparent during the course of the following description.

The method herein involved consists in forming an ornamented surface on a relatively heavy layer of leather such as steer hide, which is tough and adapted to withstand hard usage, and yet is very pliable. The ornamentation may be provided by stamping the leather from the-rear face thereof, a dye or similar device being employed. The leather then may be tooled, colored or otherwise finished upon the outer face thereof to complete the ornamentation. lVhen the leather is embossed, some of the embossed portions will be relatively deep and these may be filled with a suitable plastic material although the latter need not be emplyed where the embossing is relatively shallow. It will be apparent that the plastic tiller tends to support the. de .per embossing to prevent it from being flattened, thus destroying the ornamental effect. A backing sheet of thinner leather is then placed against and secured to the inner face of the outer cover sheet. In carrying out the. latter operation, the adjacent faces of the leather sheets are coated with a suitable adhesive material,- and the two sheets are placed under pressure to hol'dthe sheets fiat until the adhesive has set and hardened. The two sheets then comprise in eiiect a unitary sheet which is adapted for use as a cover for loose leaf books and the like. and after the adhesive has hardened and the resulting article removed from the press, it may be suitably shaped and trimmed. The edges of the finished article may rep in unlinishethor. afinishing stitching may be employed adjacent the edges of the arti cle' not only to provide a finish therefor, but to prevent separation 01" the edge portions of the sh ets when in use. A book cover thus formed has been found to possess great durability, and yet is extremely pliable to.

render it convenient in use. v here aneX- tremely thin inher backing sheet is employed, orlwhen it is desired to provide a cover of the character mentioned having a lesser degree of pliability, an inner. reinbe en to enhance the attractiveness of the article.

It has been found thatth-e. filling'inaterial used in the deeper portions ot the embossingand the adhesive material between the sheets do not materially affect the pliability of the, article. Wlien the article is roughly handlech the adhesivemay crack throughthe thickness thereof, but will not separate from the adjacent sheets,.and this cracking merely increas s'the plia bility oi the sheets with: out perm ting them to become separated.

1n the drawings I have shown several forms of ornamental book covers made in accordance with the present invention. In this showing:

Figure 1 is perspective View of a completed book cover, Figure 2" s a sectional View. showing the outer sheets in position on a dye,

Figure 3 is a similar sectionalview show ing the completed sheet,-

OlClIlQ; sheet or thin tough cardboard may.

Figure 1 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing amodified form of cover,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner portion of a modified form of stitching, and,

Figure 6 is a detail view of the method of forming the stitching.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 designates a book cover such as the cover of a loose leaf book. This cover is formed of an outer leather or similar sheet 11 and an inner sheet 12, preferably formed of relatively thin leather. In practice, I prefer to employ a relatively thick outer sheet 11, and for this purpose steer hide has been found to be very satisfactory. Such leather is extremely pliable and tough and yet possesses sufficient body to permit it to be attractively ornamented.

As shown in Figure 1, a suitable design 13 may be embossed on the surface of the outer sheet 11 and the embossing may be done in the usual manner, as will be apparent. If desired, the initial embossing operation may be carried out by placing the outer face of the leather upon a suitable dye plate 1 1 and stamping the leather on the opposite side. The outer surface of the sheet 11 may be hand tooled as at 15 to enhance the attractiveness of the design and the leather may be colored in any desired manner. After the surface ornamentation has been provided on the sheet 11, the deeper portions of the embossing may be filled with plastic material, as shown at 16 in Figure 3 to serve as a supporting medium to prevent the embossing from being flattened. The filler need not be employed where the embossing is relatively shallow, since the leather possesses a considerable degree of elasticity tending to hold it in the embossed form. After the filler has been employed in the manner described, the inner sheet 12 may be placed in position. This operation is carried out by coating the adjacent faces of the sheets 11 and 12 with a suitable adhesive and the two sheets are placed in a suitable press whereby pressure may be exerted while the adhesive is drying, as will be apparent. The pressure exerted holds the sheets substantially flat until the adhesive hardens, whereupon the latter tends to maintain the sheets fiat, as is de sired. Where the finished article is employed as a cover for a loose leaf book, the adhesive may be omitted at the central portion of the sheets whereby they may be readily folded as at 17.

When an extremely thin inner sheet 12 is employed, or when it is desired to provide a book having a lesser degree of pliability, the finished article may be made in the manner shown in Figure 4. In this form of the invention a stiffening or reinforcing sheet 18 may be placed between the sheets 11 and 12.

The sheet 18 may be formed of any suitable grade of paper, and in forming the finished article, the inner faces of the sheets 11 and 12, and both faces of the sheets 18 are preferably provided with adhesive. The three sheets 11, 12 and 18 are then subjected to pressure in the manner previously described until the adhesive dries and hardens. The finished product then will possess all the desired characteristics of the form of the invention previously described, being attractive and durable, but possessing a. slightly less degree of pliability.

If desired, the finished article may be left with its edges ra" Y and unbound, as shown in Figures 3 and l. I desire, however, to more positively secure the edge portions of the sheets together, inasmuch as they are subjected to considerable wear in use. Acc( rdingly in Figure 1, I have shown the finished boolr cover as being provided adjacent its edge portions with finishing stitching 19 of the usual machine type. The stitching presents a finished appearance and also serves to positively secure the edge portions together. In the actual useof the book, the constant bending of the covers may tend slightly to crack the adhesive through its thickness, but will not loosen the adhesive from the sheets, and accordingly the latter are prevented from separating, particularly when the stitching is employed.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings I have shown a modified form of stitching. In this form of the invention, the cover is made up in either of the two ways previously described and the finished sheets are trimmed to the desired size and shape. The sheets are then provided adjacent their edges with slits 20 to'receive lacing 21. The lacing is preferably formed of leather and is passed successively through the openings 20 in the manner shown in Figure 6. Each successive stitch is looped as at 26 during the lacing operation, and the end of the lacing is passed through the successive loops thus formed. The finished lacing is then rolled or burnished whereby the outer extremities there of are smooth and straight, as shown at 3. Forming the extremities of the lacing in the manner described tends to greatly reduce the wear on the lacing, thus lengthening the life of the book.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the till low

and applying a normally flat backing sheet of flexible material to the back of said facing sheet.

2. The method of forming ornamental articles which consists in embossing a design on one of a pair of sheets of flexible mate rial, securing said sheets together with a coat of adhesive, and stitching the edges of said sheet.

The method of forming ornamental articles which consists in providing surface ornamentation on the front of a sheet of relatively heavy leather, applying a relatively thin backing sheet against the back of said facing sheet with a layer of adhesive between the sheets, subjecting the sheets to pressure in a flat position until the adhesive dries, and trimming the sheets.

4. The method of forming ornamental articles which consists in embossing a design on the front of a sheet of leather, placing a filler in certain of the indentations formed in the back of the sheet by the embossing, coating the back of the sheet With an adhesive, placing. a relatively thin backing sheet against the back of said sheet of leather, subjecting the sheets to pressure in a flat position until the adhesive hardens, and trimu'iing the sheets.

5. The method of forming ornamental articles Whien consists in embossing a design on the front of a sheet of leather, placing a filler in certain of the indentations formed in the back of the sheet by the embossing, coating the back of the sheet with an adhesive, placing a relatively thin backing sheet against the back of said sheet of leather, subjecting the sheets to pressure in a flat position until the adhesive hardens, trimming the sheets, and securing the edge portions of the resulting sheets together independently of the adhesive.

6. An article of manufacture comprising a relatively heavy flexible sheet of material provided on its front with surface ornamentation, a relatively thin flexible sheet ar ranged against the back of said first named sheet, a layer of adhesive between said sheets and securing them together, and stitching securing the edge portions of the sheets together.

7. An article of manufacture comprising a relatively heavy flexible sheet provided on its front with an embossed design, a filler applied in certain of the indentations formed on the back of said sheet by the embossing, a relatively thin flexible sheet arranged against the back of said first named sheet, a layer of adhesive between said sheets "and securing them together, and stitching securing the edge portions of the sheets together.

8. An article of manufacture comprising relatively heavy flexible sheet provided on its front with an embossed. design, a filler applied in certain of the indentations formed on the hack of said sheet by the embossing, a relatively thin flexible sheet arranged against the back of said first named sheet, a layer of adhesive between said sheets and securing them together, and ornamental stitching securing the edge portions of the sheets together, said stitching extending beyond the edges of the sheets, the edge extremities of said stitching being'smooth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ooLoMBo BOSCA. 

